One teenager is dead and four others are fighting for their lives after a violent single-car crash today near the intersection of San Marin Drive and Simmons Lane in Novato, according to police. All five teens were rushed to hospitals, where one passenger later died. The remaining four, including the 17-year-old driver, were reported to be in serious or critical condition. Investigators said the driver was determined to be under the influence of alcohol, and the case remains under active investigation.
What Police Say Happened
Several 911 callers reported the wreck just before 1 AM. Officers arrived to find a single vehicle heavily damaged and five teenagers, ages 16 to 18, suffering from major injuries, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The Chronicle reports that all five teens were taken to hospitals, where one passenger later died and three others remained in serious or critical condition. Police determined the 17-year-old at the wheel had been driving under the influence of alcohol.
Eastbound San Marin Drive was closed at Estado Way for several hours while Novato Police Department traffic officers and crime-scene investigators documented the scene and collected evidence.
A Dangerous Stretch With a History
The San Marin Drive corridor is already on Novato’s trouble list. It is identified as one of the city’s high-collision segments in the Marin Countywide Local Road Safety Plan, which tracks crash clusters along key intersections and corridors and recommends engineering fixes and targeted enforcement. The Marin Countywide Local Road Safety Plan flags roads like San Marin Drive and Novato Boulevard as repeat sites of serious crashes. The report notes that locations with collision clusters are often prioritized for safety improvements after severe incidents like this one.
What Comes Next
Police say the investigation is ongoing and that they have not released any names or announced any charges while detectives work to piece together the full chain of events, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Anyone who witnessed the crash or has relevant information is asked to contact the Novato Police Department Traffic Section at 415-897-4361.
The department acknowledged what it called an incredibly difficult situation for the families involved and said it is coordinating closely with investigators as the case moves forward.
